Tim Tebow can’t stop hitting home runs

Let’s check in on Mets outfield prospect Tim Tebow, who hit a home run in his first minor league at-bat last Thursday and then struck out in three of his next four plate appearances. Tebow went 1 for 5 in his second game for the Class A Columbia Fireflies of the South Atlantic League on Friday, and after sitting out Saturday’s game, showcased his power again on Sunday with a three-run homer to right field in a 6-0 win.

Unlike Tebow’s first professional jog around the bases, the 29-year-old Heisman Trophy winner didn’t stop at second base before realizing the ball had cleared the fence this time. Sunday’s blast, off Jose Morel, was a no-doubter.

“The progress has been absolutely impressive, to be honest with you,” Columbia Manager Jose Leger told The State of Tebow’s first three games. “I saw him in spring training and the way he went about his business, but I’ve seen even more progress here. He made a couple of plays in the outfield today where it seems like he’s been playing there for a while. He works on things every single day.”

Tebow is hitting .231 with five RBI and three runs in his first three games. He’s tied for second in the South Atlantic League with two home runs, behind 2016 10th-round draft pick Vince Fernandez and 2014 second-round draft pick Ti’Quan Forbes, and, as ESPN notes, is one home run shy of matching Michael Jordan’s total with Class AA Birmingham — in 127 games — in 1994. Not bad for someone who hasn’t played baseball regularly since his junior year of high school.

“From a baseball perspective, power pays,” Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy, who worked with Tebow during the offseason, said in February. “Power arms, power bats pays. You’re never out of a ballgame when you have power, that’s why it’s so unique. So somebody gets on base, a walk, base hit and somebody goes deep, now that’s three, a three-pointer, right there. So power allows you to stay in the game for a long time and it’s so unique to find.”

Scott AllenScott Allen has written about the Capitals, Nationals, Redskins, Wizards and more for The Washington Post's D.C. Sports Bog since 2014. Before joining The Post, he wrote about high school sports for USA Today, developed courses for a Web-based training company, and worked as a reporter and page designer for the Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune. Follow